The night began with the biggest question appearing to be whether to boo former Raptor Vince Carter again or forgive and forget.

A few minutes into the game the much tougher call was whether to boo the entire Raptors squad that came out as flat as could be.

But as this Raptors team has shown on many occasions this year, it’s not how they start a game that matters.

Sure the 21-point deficit with the game not even a quarter old was tough to take, particularly given the three losses in the past four games, but perseverance has become a big part of this team’s makeup as they came back to beat the Mavericks 93-85.

Even with Mavs’ leading scoring Dirk Nowitzki, taking a night off to rest his 35-year-old body, the Raptors spent the first quarter looking like a team that wanted no part in this game.

At the end of the quarter John Salmons, a man who prefers to do his talking with his game, broke with normal form and implored his teammates to start making the Mavericks “feel us.”

At that point in the game, it might have been possible the Mavs weren’t even sure they were being defended.

Or as head coach Dwane Casey put it, “Our rotations were slow or non-existent moreso.”

But as soon as the Raptors started to defend — they started blitzing Monta Ellis in the second quarter every time he touched the ball — things started to turn.

A 31-point second quarter by the Raps and holding Dallas to just 17 got them back in it as the Raptors started to dictate the pace “You get in a free-flowing game with an offence like they have and you’re in trouble,” Casey said. “We finally got that under control, but our starts are concerning. That’s the second game in a row we have had a tough start.”

DeRozan, who would wind up with a career-high 40-point night, said the lesson from Monday’s game when they fell behind by 30 to the Bobcats and then couldn’t make up all that ground in a frantic fourth quarter comeback was still fresh in their minds.

“We knew we couldn’t drag this out to the third or fourth quarter,” DeRozan said. “They are too good a team.”

So the comeback started early and while it took almost until the five-minute mark of the final quarter to finally catch the Mavs, the Raptor perseverance finally paid off.

Things turned around in the second as the Raptors closed what had been a 21-point lead to five by the half, but getting over that final hump would take a little longer.

Eventually the Raptors did pulling away for the win.

With Kyle Lowry, who has been the Raptors best player for the better part of the last month unable to find the range all night, offence was at a premium.

But as cold as Lowry was, DeRozan was red-hot, making 15 of his 22 attempts to become just the seventh Raptor all time to reach the 40-point plateau.

Ellis was having a pretty solid night through three quarters as were most of the Mavs were, but when it came down to crunch time, Ellis and his teammates had no answer for the Raps amped up defence.

“We just turned up the intensity,” Chuck Hayes said.

Hayes is becoming a big part of the Raptors second unit. With both Jonas Valanciunas and Amir Johnson struggling to find their defensive focus, Hayes has been the past few nights the best defender on the floor.

Ellis had 20 through three quarters and looked very much in a groove, but managed just a single point in the fourth to finish with 21. As a team the Mavs managed just 12 points in the final quarter while the Raptors pulled away.

“Too many turnovers,” Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle said. “We played two good quarters and they played three good quarters. It’s a 48-minute game and we have to do it for four quarters. That’s the story.”

Calderon, who was playing for the second time in Toronto since his trade to Detroit a year ago, said the Mavs couldn’t match the Raptors desire.

“We couldn’t match their intensity in the second half,” Calderon said. “They made their run and we couldn’t keep up with it.”

It was the kind of bounce-back game the Raptors and a much needed one after losses in Charlotte, at home to the Lakers and in Boston.

With the win the Raptors moved a game above .500. They head to Philadelphia for a game with the 76ers on Friday.

DAY OFF FOR DIRK

Maybe the Raptors are just living right. Now if only they would take advantage of this good fortune.

For whatever reason the Raptors seem to be on some kind of roll when it comes to avoiding an opponents’ biggest scoring threat.

Just recently they have played Boston without Rajon Rondo, the Lakers without Kobe Bryant or Steve Nash, the Bobcats sans Kemba Walker and last night hosted Dallas which opted to rest Dirk Nowitzki.

The Raps lost in Boston, lost at home to Los Angeles and in Charlotte to the Bobcats so clearly taking advantage of these gifts (if that’s what they are) is becoming problematic.

The trend, at least the part about missing stars will continue Saturday as the Clippers visit with point guard Chris Paul out with a separated right shoulder.

Without Nowitzki, who apparently was just getting a night off, the Mavs inserted Jae Crowder into the starting lineup.

Raptors come back from 21 down to beat Mavericks

The night began with the biggest question appearing to be whether to boo Vince Carter again or forgive and forget.

A few minutes in the much-tougher call was whether to boo the entire Raptors squad that came out as flat as could be.

But as this Raptors team has shown on many occasions this year, it’s not how they start a game that matter.

Sure the 21-point deficit with the game not even a quarter old was tough to take, particularly given the three losses in the past four games, but perseverence has become a big part of this team’s makeup.

Even with leading scoring Dirk Nowitzki taking a night off to rest his 35-year-old body, the Raptors spent the first quarter looking like a team that wanted no part in this game.

Things turned around in the second as the Raptors closed what had been a 21-point lead to five by the half, but getting over that final hump would take a little longer.